Gotta say I don't boo. I don't believe in booing. I just don't. I root for the player no matter what as long as they are working their asses off. just me.
- nastyflyergirl

I don't think I have ever booed a home team player. It just feels weird.

Claude needs fresh air .Meaning either being traded like to Montreal or totally different
role within Flyers organization.He should in my view return to playing wing and not taking any defensive zone face-off or any form of PK work
Just offensive focus and PP
- goenzoy

Gonna have to agree to disagree -- Giroux is getting older. If/when the Flyers get him some youthful skill on his wings, much like the Ducks did with Rickard Rakell for Ryan Getzlaf -- we could see the same type of production from him. Players age. Sometimes, they need a little more help

@J35Bacher

It shouldn't matter to fans at all how much a player makes. Do you care how much I make, or bill? The team cares but as a fan complaining that a player makes x amount of money is ridiculous. Imo.
- twotoekenn

That's a false equivalency. The NHL has a hard salary cap. I would think its obvious that a players salary compared to their performance is absolutely fair game in evaluating that player.

Trade him for Yakupov

I don't think I have ever booed a home team player. It just feels weird.
- MBFlyerfan

To me, it has to be about the stupidest thing you can do, but what are you gonna do? I used to sit there and listen to Schmidt get booed. Dude could've hit 900 home runs and there was gonna be some idiot who was pissed that he struck out with a runner on second or that he didn't hit 1,000 homers

Gonna have to agree to disagree -- Giroux is getting older. If/when the Flyers get him some youthful skill on his wings, much like the Ducks did with Rickard Rakell for Ryan Getzlaf -- we could see the same type of production from him. Players age. Sometimes, they need a little more help
- AllInForFlyers

Getzlaf is still an elite player.

Thing is Giroux's body doesn't lend to aging well. he isn't overly big and he was never a speedster. Getzlaf is an ox. Even though he isn't fast he is still big and strong so he can still do somethings.

I do think so me added skill up front will help Giroux. But i do worry a little about Giroux. i hope for the best but maybe he is just in decline.

That's a false equivalency. The NHL has a hard salary cap. I would think its obvious that a players salary compared to their performance is absolutely fair game in evaluating that player.
- StepfordSam

I blame management for imbalance in that equation.

Getzlaf is still an elite player.

Thing is Giroux's body doesn't lend to aging well. he isn't overly big and he was never a speedster. Getzlaf is an ox. Even though he isn't fast he is still big and strong so he can still do somethings.

I do think so me added skill up front will help Giroux. But i do worry a little about Giroux. i hope for the best but maybe he is just in decline.
- J35Bacher

You can worry about him, but do you have to turn on him? Because he probably is in decline. That's just the way it is

Was it just me or as I was reading I kept waiting for a fan to throw a snowball at Santa?

"It's because a contingent of fans have turned on the current Flyers captain after his stats have declined in each of the last two seasons"

But that's our right as a fan. We come to watch him earn his millions which I will never see in my life time. i pay for tickets and for packages. I don't know Claude personally so none of it is personal. But if he isn't doing what is needed on the ice then i do have the right to turn on the player. Sports are a "what have you done for me lately" business.

My first obligation is to the team. With free agency and player movement, I see them all as mercenaries. If Giroux has another declining season, am I supposed to keep living on what he did in the past?
- J35Bacher

To me, booing is justified if a player is dogging it. When a player is trying to fight through injury or simply slumping for a few weeks (which happens to everyone at times), the booing reflects worse on the fans than the player. There is a difference between fair criticism of a team or player (or situational booing right after an especially bad play or during an ugly loss) and treating them like dirt (booing their very introduction before the game or especially harassing their family members at a game).

Yes, it's fans prerogative to boo. But it is not an unfettered right. Players also have a right to view fan interactions with a bit of caution. It seems to me that many of the same folks who boo damn near everything are also the first to get their feelings hurt if a player doesn't sign an autograph or pose for a photograph on demand.

There are plenty of good fans, too. They are actually the majority. I'm talking about the crowd that seems to dwell mostly in negativity and, in fact, is happiest being miserable.

My biggest complain about the Giroux hate is fans seem to think Giroux doesn't care which goes hand-and-hand with "bad captain" narrative. And on top of that, those same fans are the ones preaching Amen when the Roenick commentary came out recently on how Giroux is mentally weak. I think Giroux will have a bounce back season just from the added depth alone; we saw this when we acquired Filp and Weal was fully up. Now that we have both to the start the year, as well as a healthy / improved TK, and Lindblom and Patrick, I really think we'll see Giroux get more of that separation that we are used to seeing. Giroux knows how bad his season was and you can tell he's not accepting of it nor missing the playoffs. I'm hoping a healthy and motivated Giroux comes fired up to the start the year.

You can worry about him, but do you have to turn on him? Because he probably is in decline. That's just the way it is
- AllInForFlyers

Whats you definition of turn?

If he is helping the Flyers I am ok.

I cheer for the Flyers. maybe i am weird but i never got attached to players. i have never bought a jersey of a player. I think all players are mercenaries.

Was it just me or as I was reading I kept waiting for a fan to throw a snowball at Santa?
- mayorofangrytown

There are boorish fans everywhere. It's not just a Philadelphia thing.

Getzlaf is still an elite player.

Thing is Giroux's body doesn't lend to aging well. he isn't overly big and he was never a speedster. Getzlaf is an ox. Even though he isn't fast he is still big and strong so he can still do somethings.

I do think so me added skill up front will help Giroux. But i do worry a little about Giroux. i hope for the best but maybe he is just in decline.
- J35Bacher

Was Getzlaf an elite player in 2011-2012 when scored 11 goals & 57 points? or last year when he was out scored by Giroux?

To me, booing is justified if a player is dogging it. When a player is trying to fight through injury or simply slumping for a few weeks (which happens to everyone at times), the booing reflects worse on the fans than the player. There is a difference between fair criticism of a team or player (or situational booing right after an especially bad play or during an ugly loss) and treating them like dirt (booing their very introduction before the game or especially harassing their family members at a game).

Yes, it's fans prerogative to boo. But it is not an unfettered right. Players also have a right to view fan interactions with a bit of caution. It seems to me that many of the same folks who boo damn near everything are also the first to get their feelings hurt if a player doesn't sign an autograph or pose for a photograph on demand.

There are plenty of good fans, too. They are actually the majority. I'm talking about the crowd that seems to dwell mostly in negativity and, in fact, is happiest being miserable.
- bmeltzer

See i separate things. There is the player and the person. Off the ice they are a person. that is different from the player which is the one on the ice.

Was Getzlaf an elite player in 2011-2012 when scored 11 goals & 57 points? or last year when he was out scored by Giroux?
- Baxter27

Getzlaf is an elite player.

I would take him over Giroux. Last year Getzlaf has 73 points in 74 games and helped his team to the playoffs. Giroux had 58 in 82 games.

Sports is just modern day gladiators. Pure entertainment for common people like myself. So yea when one falls it's next gladiator up and the show goes on. Is it fickle? Of course, more important things to care about

Getzlaf is an elite player.

I would take him over Giroux. I know Giroux outscored him last year. But Getzlaf's team went to the playoffs. So what's more important.
- J35Bacher

ANA's depth/defense/goaltending are all more important, and better, than the Flyers.

Getzlaf is an elite player.

I would take him over Giroux. Last year Getzlaf has 73 points in 74 games and helped his team to the playoffs. Giroux had 58 in 82 games.
- J35Bacher

So, if Giroux has the same stats next year but they make the playoffs you are ok with that?

ANA's depth/defense/goaltending are all more important, and better, than the Flyers.
- arichardson22

they are.

But he was comparing Giroux and Getzlaf.

No player to player comparison is totally fair because there are always going to be other factors.

So, if Giroux has the same stats next year but they make the playoffs you are ok with that?
- mickel25

Yes.

Because the Flyers made the playoffs.

There are boorish fans everywhere. It's not just a Philadelphia thing.
- bmeltzer

Oh, I know. Fans boo players of every team in every city. Sometimes I'm one of them.

I have been brought to my feat to boo this team over the past few seasons and they've deserved it, Giroux included.

I've watched hockey long enough in my life to know when a player doesn't think he has it on a given night and packs it in. I've seen this team in particular do it all too often over the past several years and I've seen the captain do it far too many times for my liking. I hate the swirling drain that too often becomes a come from in front loss with this incarnation of the Flyers.

I'm still a fan of the team and the player but if I'm boxing out 3 to 6 hours of my day to watch/pay for them to compete and they don't than everyone can listen to me complain about it for a few minutes. If you're a Flyer's player and you look in the stands and I'm wearing your colours and I'm booing you as a player you should take that to heart.

Booing is the line for me though. I don't do it often but I do it with feeling.

Until they start throwing out the idiots who bang on the glass in their $150 seats I'll reserve that right.

they are.

But he was comparing Giroux and Getzlaf.

No player to player comparison is totally fair because there are always going to be other factors.
- J35Bacher

I was mainly saying that to your point about playoffs... to add to it:

Yes Getzlaf made the playoffs; which he played pretty damn good in. 19 pts in 17 games I believe. However, if Ducks don't make playoffs or if Getzlaf doesn't perform the way he did in playoffs, I bet there are some pretty damn pissed off Ducks fan asking about his performance/contract.

Regardless, I think comparing G and Getzlaf is pretty difficult considering they are completely different styled players/centermen.

Getzlaf is an elite player.

I would take him over Giroux. Last year Getzlaf has 73 points in 74 games and helped his team to the playoffs. Giroux had 58 in 82 games.
- J35Bacher

That Elite player you are infatuated with has also had his seasons where he didn't live up to expectations. Including a season similar to the one Giroux just struggled in at a similar age. That's my point. Have a little faith in your own players instead of looking over the fence at the greener grass. It grows differently every season.

I was mainly saying that to your point about playoffs... to add to it:

Yes Getzlaf made the playoffs; which he played pretty damn good in. 19 pts in 17 games I believe. However, if Ducks don't make playoffs or if Getzlaf doesn't perform the way he did in playoffs, I bet there are some pretty damn pissed off Ducks fan asking about his performance/contract.

Regardless, I think comparing G and Getzlaf is pretty difficult considering they are completely different styled players/centermen.
- arichardson22

Agreed, massively different hairlines...don't let anyone tell you that isn't important